


Candlelight

by tarthiana



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Hanukkah, Jewish Holidays, Retail horror, Roommates, They're soft ok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:35:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28016328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tarthiana/pseuds/tarthiana
Summary: The holiday season at Baratheon Crafting Supplies is Brienne's retail nightmare, and on top of that she's sick—but her roommate Jaime will make the first night of Hanukkah one to remember.
Relationships: Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth
Comments: 52
Kudos: 117





	Candlelight

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this on a whim. Happy Holidays ⛄

_This year fucking sucked_ , was Brienne’s last thought before she vomited into the toilet of the Baratheon Crafting Supplies employee bathroom. It was her third consecutive shift.

BCS—as the staff referred to it—was in its busiest quarter. October through January, from open to close, the craft store was bustling with customers. What was it about the holidays that made people horny for crafting?

Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, Brienne willed herself to stand. She had been feeling off for a while, but Satin had called and practically begged her to cover his shift. Both of them knew she needed the money. The $15 an hour wage barely covered her rent. “That’s city living for you,” her brother had teased when she complained to him over the phone.

Sure, King’s Landing was expensive as all hell, but Brienne refused to move back home. Her life on Tarth was suffocating. The small island community was insular to a fault, and everyone was as nosey as they were judgmental. At least that’s what Brienne thought. She missed her brother Galladon and their father, but she needed an independent life.

An independent life meant living in a small apartment with a roommate and working almost 60 hours a week.

It wasn’t all bad. After a rocky start, Brienne and her roommate, Jaime, had a strong friendship. When she was not working, Brienne was with Jaime. They initially bonded over a shared love ultimate frisbee. The two roommates would rise at dawn, run two miles to the nearest park, and then practice their frisbee technique. They would stop at a small coffee shop on the way back to the apartment and have breakfast. Jaime would pay. Brienne would roll her eyes.

In hindsight, Brienne should have seen it coming. It happened slowly—so slowly she barely noticed until it was too late. Every time Jaime picked up donuts from her favorite shop, every time they watched Firefly, and he draped his legs over hers on the couch, every time he came by BCS just to say hello—her heart would warm. It didn’t help that he was quite possibly the most gorgeous man Brienne had ever seen.

“Are you OK in there?” Mya asked through the bathroom door.

“I’m fine,” Brienne called to her, trying to convince herself the lie was true.

“You don’t sound fine.”

Opening the door, Brienne glared down at her coworker. “I’ll be fine. I’m only working for two more hours.”

“Whatever you say, Brienne,” Mya sighed. “But if you blow chunks in the aisles, I will not be the one cleaning that up.”

Brienne returned to the fabric counter, three pieces of spearmint gum in her mouth. Two more hours. She could do it.

Her phone vibrated in her back pocket. Discreetly, she checked it.

“ _Happy Hanukkah!!!_ ” her father said in the family group chat.

Galladon responded with menorah and candle emojis. Then he texted, “ _We miss you Bri!_ ”

It was the first night of Hanukkah; Brienne had forgotten. Looking out the store window, she noticed the sun has set, leaving the sky an orangey-red. Homesickness flooded her.

How had she not remembered? She must be working too much. She made a reminder to send cards and gifts to her family.

They were probably lighting the menorah right now. Then they would feast on latkes smothered with sour cream and applesauce. If Gal remembered to prepare the broth, they would have steaming bowls of matzo ball soup with the potato pancakes. The thought of food soured her stomach.

_Two hours_ , she repeated to herself. _Only two more hours._

A tan woman with a Karen haircut did not like how Brienne had cut her snowflake fabric and spent almost 30 minutes arguing at her. Customer service smile plastered to her face, Brienne let the woman insult her.

“I’m not paying for that!” she spat. “I refuse! You have ruined the fabric! Look at the frayed ends. You need to sharpen your scissors!”

“All right ma’am. If you do not want the fabric, can you please hand it to me so I can dispose of it,” Brienne said hollowly.

“No!” she screeched. “If you are going to just throw it out it would be a waste. I’ll just take it.”

“If you are keeping the fabric it will be $31.78.”

“I will not pay for this! Look at the ends!”

“OK, then give me the fabric.”

It went on like this until Mya intervened and sent Brienne home early. The apartment was empty, and she immediately went to her bathroom, just barely making it to the toilet before vomiting again. At least Jaime wasn’t there to see her like this.

She must have summoned him with her thoughts because the front door opened and Jaime called out, “Honey, I’m home!”

Brienne did not answer. She vomited again.

Her roommate entered the bathroom and took in the scene—Brienne still in her BCS uniform, vomit in the toilet and on the corner of her mouth.

“You look like shit,” he said.

“Thanks asshole,” she replied weakly.

“Let’s clean you up.”

He pulled her hair back into a messy bun, wiped her face and handed her a toothbrush. He left so she could change her soiled clothing. In the kitchen, Brienne found Jaime unpacking a box.

A shiny silver menorah in a modern, minimalist style was placed on the counter, blue and white candles beside it.

“Happy Hanukkah, Brienne,” he said with a soft smile.

“It’s well past sundown,” she objected.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“You’re right,” she said with a blush.

“Will you show me how?” he asked, gesturing to the candles.

First, she turned off the kitchen lights. Then, she placed a blue candle in the leftmost holder and a white candle in the tallest, middle holder. Brienne asked Jaime to strike a match. He did and lit the tallest candle. Taking the lit candle in hand, she was surprised when Jaime pressed into her backside. He reached out and placed his hand over hers. They held the candle together.

She recited the blessing, and Jaime repeated the Hebrew words after her.

“Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tsivanu l’hadlik ner shel Hanukkah.” 

As they said the blessing, they lit the blue candle with the flame from the white.

Jaime continued to press into her when the ritual was finished. “I only have one present for you,” he whispered in her ear.

“And what is it?” Brienne exhaled while blushing tomato red.

He turned his roommate so they were face to face.

“I really hope you used mouthwash,” he said before leaning in and capturing her lush lips in a kiss.

Brienne laughed into it, holding Jaime close. Maybe this year wasn’t so bad after all.

**Author's Note:**

> [I'm on Tumblr](http://www.bussdowntarthiana.tumblr.com)


End file.
